Reversible printing plate



1951 w. H. woLown'z REVERSIBLE PRINTING PLATE Filed Dec. 31, 1946 M2 W. 3W

m V 0 W H M M L H W Patented Feb. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT ornce William H. Wolowitz, Washington, D. C.

Application December 31, 1946, Serial No. 719,427 1 4 Claims.

This invention relates to printingplates, and more particularly to printin plates ofthat type which are adapted to be embossed and used in a printing device which is of the type normally inoperative but rendered operative when the printing plate is inserted.

Printing plates for use in such printing devices are usually of substantially rectangular shape and provided with a notch in one end to engage a pin to limit the inward movement of the plate in the printing device. The leading edge of the plate serves to operate a latch-trigger to release the printing device for operation, and the rear edge has attached thereto a cord; tape or other flexible means to serve as a pull when withdrawing the plate from the printing device.

Plates of this type have two disadvantages; first, they are non-reversible, and second, they are difficult to handle and to insert into the printa printing plate which is provided with'means to ensure its proper positioning with respect to other plates when stored and not innse.

, It-"is a further object to provide a plate of this,

nature which is preliminarily stifiened 'over'a portion of its area so that. when e'mboss'ed'withi the desired .indicia it will .be stiffened over all of:

its area.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a printing device of the character with which the present invention is adapted to cooperate, parts being broken away to show the printing plate and its cooperative relation to the printing device;

Figure 2 is a partial bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, parts being broken away to show the plate, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the printing plate of the present invention. x

Referring to the drawings in detail, the printing device illustrated herein ispf a well known type used primarily to imprin't." on givenforms,

(Cl. 101369) V the indicia contained on a plate commonly known a as a dog tag, which is a metal plate standardized as the means of identification of each member oi the United States Army. Its use is broadj ened and enhanced by cooperation with the printing plate of the presentinvention by making possible the printing of letterheads, addresses on envelopes, and unlimited forms.

a full understanding of the present invention if only those parts with which the printing. plate cooperate are described. The printing device I l is provided with guides {to receive a printing-1 plate 3, the plate being embossed with the required address or other legend, as indicated at l. As shown, it comprises two pivoted members, one carrying the inked ribbon indicated at 5, and the other supporting a platen 5. Each of the sections has a handle portion, the two handles being juxtaposed to form a pistol grip 1. One of the sections is provided with an abutment 8 which is normally engaged by a latch 9 to prevent the sections from approaching one another when the handles are squeezed. Latch 9 is normally urged to latching position by means of a' spring I, and N is attached to a trigger II by means of which j the latch may be moved. The trigger is designed to be operated by plate 3 when the plate is in se rted into the guides Z. A'stop pin 12 limits the inward movement of plate 3.

The printing plate a, has a body portion 13. of M generally rectangular shapehaving parallel side :..edges Hand 5, and. parallel ends l6 and IT.

The end "of the bo'dyportion is notehed at l8, the notch being to one side of the longitudinal center line through the plate and bein designed to engage the stop pin; 12 of the printing device. On the opposite side of the center a finger piece I 9 extends from the end of the plate, one side of the finger piece beinga continuation of the side edge l5 of the body portion of the plate. Between the finger piece and notch [8, the end wall forms a trigger-engaging surface 20 serving to strike and move the trigger to release latch 9 when the plate is inserted in the printin machine. The opposite end I6 of the body portion is provided with a notch 2|, trigger-engaging surface 22, and finger piece 23, the respective elements being similar to those at the end H but reversely positioned, one side of the finger piece 23 being a continuation of the side edge 14 of the body portion.

Thus, it will be seer j that the plate is reversible, the parts on the left side of theplate. as viewed in Figure 2, assuming the identical position of those on the right when the plate is rotated in its own plane through an angle of 180. This permits insertion of the plate with either end as the leading edge, and the address or legend em- 5 bossed on the plate may be imprinted on an envelop or unlimited forms in any desired position, the printing distances from either side being limited only by the distance between the latch 9 aadthe catch "3. or wlienfthe slate is positioned in the printing device as shown in Figure 1.v This facilitates such operations as imprinting an address and a return address or printing of payrolls, rosters, or other forms, or printing on linens or similar surfaces.

It will be noted that finger piece 23 is shown. longer than finger piece IQ, This ensures the proper stacking of the plates when not in use, for if the plate is reversed in containers used for storage, it will be readily noticeable due will; tact that th beds: portion of the measly 91% d pla e 'll t d i hqse grai .1? l

.. r li es. t if cn the time o the plate, H we er, ome m emp qyecl in sit r i ty to the. 11 s. and it i a so. desirable a PlQViQQ s able tifi nms i9 the b ds 99 M011; ore the fingernie es a corru ated as at 2,4, ls-P in satip s len thwise of th linear piec s to stren th n than in the di c ion. of

pi tio t the operation nd monies a plate whic stiff e o er it c mp ete surface.

.. itlwil be noted Figure, 3. that carr age: 5

iqnsextend out or theplane t e m ne. s Q! th nlatconlr. Ihis s done so hat n... ope at r in. p c ing an on f the pla es m y readily tell by he t a oi t e cor t ons whether or no t e plate is n. th 1).. 5,, msit gn to sert on in the. nrin in. methane. It'is necessary that the gor jllga ip tend, Q t. i the of he Plate n t am side as the aised PIOItiQI Qi th amassed a ss- W ile n. he ab yc a. pr er-t d mat a els 55 P iime it o thflment ha been d qs dr't.

i gpvi iis that we 71.1.1 we ma be made from the precisestructure illustrated within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing plate to be embossed for use in a printing device of that type normally releasably held inoperative by a latch but rendered operative by the insertion of the plate and having a pin to serve as a stop for said plate, a body portion, a stop-engaging notch in each end said body portion, a latch engaging shoulder on each end of said body portion, and a finger, piece extending from each end of said body portion, said stop-engaging notch, said latehengaging shoulder and said finger piece on one end of said body portion being reversely positioned with respect to those on the other end.

' piece exteil ins rqm at l ast and therein,-

said finger piece and said bodynear the, edge hgreei being; ce rusa cd. sa d c r is tiensbk ns ansularly disd. wh eby s id late when hos-Sad fe printin Willbe prov d d, stifi t Qut it length and breadth 1 plate as a med c aim .3. bein out i he plane of of. the plat en r to dicate sa d late when are plu n. 91 s de.- the prin ing: s cle siren UNLTEJP smrmsrsrcmis Number. k Name Date 8223M Duncan June 5, 18% 950,747 Duncan Mar. 1, 91.10

11,161,045: Griswold Nov; 23', 1M5? 1,1'7'7 740 Tully Apr, 4, 1M6 1,243,289 Hall Oct. 16, 191'? 1,539,382 Thompson .41 May: 26; 1,616,089 Krell Feb. 1, 192.7

1,828,630 Osborn May 10, 1927' 1380,8159 Steindor-f Aug. M, 1928 1,697,985 Lindsay Jan. &, 1929. 12,866,997" Bryce July 12, 1932 11,899,072 Anthony Feb. 2-8, 1933. r 2,116,235. Curtis May' 3, 1938 2;3; 42 ,898 Sand Feb. 29-, 1 944;

that altos-1e be 

